Clive Mason/Getty Images
Lightning struck twice for Holger Rune on Monday at Roland Garros.
The Dane outlasted Argentine Francisco Cerundolo 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) to reach the quarter-finals in Paris for the second consecutive year. Twice in the match, the sixth seed dug out of a 0/40 service deficit to hold.
What is stunning is that entering the match, the 20-year-old was 1-20 in attempts to hold from 0/40 this year according to Infosys ATP Stats. On one of the world's biggest stages, he did it twice in one match.
In the second game of the second set, Rune overcame a 0/40 hole and saved five break points in the game to hold. That particular rally proved relatively inconsequential as he went on to lose the set.
But in the fifth set, Rune again faced 0/40 under the utmost pressure. At 3-4, a loss of serve would have allowed his 23rd-seeded opponent to serve for the match. But again, Rune found his way out of trouble.
The four-time ATP Tour titlist did not face 0/40 in the tournament until playing Cerundolo and escaped twice from four 0/40 holes in the match.
Entering the match, Rune's five per cent hold rate from 0/40 was the worst of any player in the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. But with a place in the quarter-finals on the line, the Dane captured lightning in a bottle to advance.
2023 Holding From 0/40 Leaders (Entering Roland Garros)
| Player | Holds From 0/40 | Games Facing 0/40 | Hold % |
| 1) Daniil Medvedev | 9 | 18 | 50% |
| 2) Frances Tiafoe | 8 | 17 | 47.1% |
| 3) Flavio Cobolli | 3 | 7 | 42.9% |
| 4) Novak Djokovic | 5 | 13 | 38.5% |
| 5) Thanasi Kokkinakis, Denis Kudla and Jack Sock |
3 | 8 | 37.5% |
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